Consumed as we are by primary politics in this endless electoral season, unfortunately few diaries have been posted about current events in Tibet. In particular, I haven't seen too much written here or elsewhere on the link between the international reaction to Tibet and the upcoming Summer Olympics in Beijing.
The recent unrest in Tibet has, though, garnered surprising attention in countries where "people-powered" struggle against a repressive state is a relatively recent memory. Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper has a thought-provoking, and somewhat contrarian, editorial on the issue today, written by Mariusz Zawadzki (link is in Polish). My translation is below the jump.
Call off the Olympics? The temptation is great. But before you say "yes," before you leave home for a demonstration, before you condemn the athletes who wish to chase medals without regard for the suffering of Tibetans, basic honesty demands you take care to maintain a consistent position on the issue.
First of all, boycott your computer, since it was probably made in China. Second, have a look through your closet and purge it of Chinese-made T-shirts, pants, jackets and so on. Third, throw out all the Chinese-made Christmas tree ornaments you've stored up for next holiday season. Fourth, be careful about the strawberries and grapefruits you buy out of season, since they also might come from China.
If, however, you are one of the hundreds of millions of opportunists populating our planet who aren't ready for all this, give up the idea of boycotting the Beijing Olympics. Why, after all, should the athletes who have been preparing for this competition all their lives have to make sacrifices, but not you? For opportunists like you, there remains the option of loudly expressing opposition to the repression in Tibet, in the hope that your voice might be one of the drops that can eventually erode the rock. This is your right, and even your moral duty.
And the athletes at the Olympics? They should also bear witness that they don't agree with the fate of Tibet. Adam Koziel of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights argues: "let them boycott the opening ceremonies. Or - let them wear 'Solidarity with Tibet' armbands during the Games. Then throughout the Olympics, the repression of Tibet will be the most important news story in the world."
Thoughts? Do you agree with Zawadzki? Or do you think the Olympics should be called off?